Lived Experience Forum

[Former-Member]

Hi 

When I was clinically diagnosed with mental illness, I was told to lower my expectations of life. It helped initially when I had to stabilise on medications. Now though its a different story. I think society as a whole views us very negatively and theres alot of stigma. They told me I could never work full time, they told me I should avoid stress. To be honest, being out of work and looking for work was more stressful than actual work having to deal with all kinds of people on daily basis.

It sucks having to take meds everyday. It clouds the mind, its hard to concentrate, being on meds does help me function though so its not that bad. What has helped is attending support groups for depression. When I got depressed before I was always suicidal. These day I have few bad days and able to bounce back up and hardly ever get that low. Now theres people who I can talk to from support groups. 

Living on my own has helped too cos it makes you learn to live on a tight budget and eat healhier. Eating healthier is cheaper, kinda ironic if you ask me. Now I have freedom to do whatever i want and I have to eat healthy cos junk food is expensive!

 In America theres Patricia Deagan who was diagnosed with  mental illness at age of 16. Look where she is now. She had made phenomenal progress. People like her give me hope, that I could do it too. 

I think we shouldnt lower our expectation just because some doctor or psychiatrist tells us to. Sure they are trained to give us the worst case scenario. Hardly encouraging. I hear voices - abusive all the time, thats something I live with every day.  Its a struggle. Live one day at a time and we endure until  cured.

i find this forum encouraging, so I thought I share my story. I still got mountain to climb. Its a good thing.

[Former-Member]

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@uscaves wrote:

Hi 

When I was clinically diagnosed with mental illness, I was told to lower my expectations of life. It helped initially when I had to stabilise on medications. Now though its a different story. I think society as a whole views us very negatively and theres alot of stigma.

 It sucks having to take meds everyday. It clouds the mind, its hard to concentrate, being on meds does help me function though so its not that bad. What has helped is attending support groups for depression. When I got depressed before I was always suicidal. These day I have few bad days and able to bounce back up and hardly ever get that low. Now theres people who I can talk to from support groups. 

I think we shouldnt lower our expectation just because some doctor or psychiatrist tells us to. Sure they are trained to give us the worst case scenario. Hardly encouraging.  Its a struggle. Live one day at a time and we endure until  cured.

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Hello @Former-Member

I applaud your post. I have also experienced similar to you. I don't like labels for very similar reasons to what you are stating. Given a long term worst case scenario can be taken by many as "gospel" instilling in the MI sufferer the limited belief that they have no personal control over the disorder, the moods, their actions which can also have an adverse effect on managing their disorder. Belief in ourselves and our abilities can be as a direct result compromised, which does lead to lower life expectations which limits achievement, relationships, job prospects and quality of life. It is then that "stigma" is created which can start in the diagnosis stage. 

The reality is we are not bi-polar, we are not depression, we are not psychosis etc are unique individuals with personal abilities and strengths whom can be afflicted with chemical imbalances which can be managed, improved and in many instances overcome to go onto lead productive lives and thrive when stabilised. Just like any other illness and this knowledge needs to be put out there to reduce stigma and the limiting self belief some sufferers place on themselves.

If complex and severe MI is present it can limit to some degree what we can achieve as it does with someone wheelchair bound from running a marathon - but it does not deem us incapable of success within our own personal limitations and chosen goals and fields of strengths - and that can differ from person to person. To place all whom are afflicted with mental illness in the one box is stigma. Like anyone who walks this earth "what we put into life we get out of it". 

When a medical professional is telling us that worst case long-term prognosis that you mentioned to me is similar to someone pointing the bone at us, and if we believe it can then become a self fulfilling prophecy. Allowing it to "limit self belief" is self defeating and I agree with your post 100 percent that this should be challenged with a more positive message sent. And your life experience and testimony is a start to addressing and reducing this stigma in society. Thank you.

"Living one day at a time and endure until cured". I also live by this and can testify it does improve mental health. Congrats on managing your illness so well. Your an inspiration to us all. 

[Vanessa5]

Hi @Former-Member,

I was reading one of the latest text books for training Disability Support Workers. It stated that the disabled will remain only as disabled to the extent that society does not enable them to fully integrate and participate in society. That includes meaningful employment.

Yes, i agree @Former-Member, we should not have to take whatever job is available just because we have a mental illness. I am a degree qualified person. I didn't battle through university with a disability to end up washing windows. Not that there is anything wrong with washing windows as long as that is what you choose to do. 

I was given a hand out at a Mental Illness talk I attended today at the Albury Base Hospital.

It says the following:

"Stigma stops people from putting their hand up to say they are living meaningful, purposeful lives. This is to the detriment of those newly diagnosed seeking hope for recovery, and society at large."

"Media portrayal of mental illness also plays a major role in determining public attitudes towards mental illness. To influence public attitudes it is important to improve the way the issue is reported and represented in the media."

"The Australian Government's Mindframe initiative takes a comprehensive approach to this challenge. The Sane Media Centre and StigmaWatch programs are integral to the initiative ....much of SANE's work in this area is conducted behind the scenes, ensuring that stigmatising attitudes do not appear in the media in the first place".

"Reducing stigma isn't easy but it is 'the single most important barrier to overcome' according to the World Health Organisation. In fact Dr Norman Sartotius, the President of Association for the Advancement of Mental Health, has said: 'Experience from all over the world proves that it is not possible to build satisfactory mental health programs without serious and continuous effort to reduce or prevent stigmatisation of mental illness'."

Do not limit or lower your life expectations because you are told to do so. You deserve a quality of life that is at the level as anyone else regardless of your disability. Follow your dreams.

[cookina]

I was diagnosed 5 year ago scizoaffective disorder i want to be mum i being discriminated i am stable meds are there any mums that have this happen to them that can give me advice

[Former-Member]

Hi @cookina
Welcome to the forums 🙂 I'm sorry to hear that that is happening to you with stigma and that it is interfering iwth your desire to have children 😞 I'm not in this position so i can't offer any advice but wanted to welcome you here, hopefully someone else has some ideas.


@Former-Member I'm wondering if it might help cookina to get some replies if this is moved to a new thread as it's probably a bit lost here.

[jazz]

Hi @Former-Member yes thats a great idea, would you like to do this? I think it may seem nicer coming from someone in the community? what do you think?, good pick

[Former-Member]

oh sorry... mods can usually move an entire part of a thread to become a new thread... i cant do that... @jazz

[jazz]

hi @Former-Member Idont know how to move whole posts to a new thread, I was thinking more to suggest to her to start a new thread, but I am happy to if you like?

[jazz]

Hi @cookina welcome to the forums thanks for sharing this, it must be tough for you, and stigma is a horrible thing. As another contributor mentioned, perhaps it is worth starting a new thread specific to this topic? I imagine this would be common out there and would be great to talk about it and share

[A2Z]

Hi @Former-Member

The professions told me I will have to be on meds for life - that's it. They could not even diagnose properly but was ready to medicate. They were not nice to me. After many challenges I am no longer on meds. 

I totally agree we must check on the limiting beliefs that we have. The limiting beliefs become yet another challenge on top of the mental health issue. Each day we are facing new challenges and mental health is just one of those challenges. 

I agree looking for work is not easy. The application and interview process are challenges we have to overcome. Sometime the med also increase suicidal thoughts as well. Meds do have many dangerous side effects.

All the best and your story gives hope. 🙂